When Mary Kay’s Inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit convened at the Fairmont on Friday, January 27, for an all-day crash course on business development and growth, they literally got more than an “earful” about innovative opportunities and success stories. In fact the day’s Pink Tank proved that point to the letter, thanks to Elyse Dickerson of Eosera, whose pitch had everyone listening. Here’s a report from the field:
Two hundred women entrepreneurs attended the Inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit, presented by Mary Kay Inc. in partnership with the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (The DEC), on Friday, January 27, at the Fairmont Hotel.
As perhaps the #1 creator of women entrepreneurs in the world, Mary Kay designed the summit to convene experts and thought leaders to help encourage and inspire participants’ own business journey, and to provide them with the tools to take their company and themselves as a leader to the next level and stage of development and growth.
The day began with keynote speaker Gloria Mayfield Banks, Mary Kay Independent Elite National Sales Director in the United States, followed by three breakout sessions with the common thread of “Why Women Make Great Entreprenuers.”
Breakout speakers included Caytie Langford of Caytie Langford and Associates, Valerie Freeman of Imprimis Group, Mary Kay Independent Senior National Sales Director Cindy Williams, Mary Kay Independent Executive National Sales Director Stacy James, Yasmeen Tadia of Make Your Life Sweeter, private consultant Liz Marshall, Sheryl Chamberlain of Cap Gemini, Jill Scigliano of Dallas Entrepreneur Center and Mary Kay Independent National Sales Director Emeritus Karen Piro and Kristina Libby, S.W.C./SoCu.
The group then reconvened for a seated lunch and a keynote address by Ingrid Vandervelt, Founder and Chairman of Empowering a Billion Women by 2020, before enjoying afternoon breakout sessions designed around the theme “How to Become a Great Entrepreneur.” Afternoon breakout session speakers were entrepreneur/Junior League of Dallas representative Heather Bonfield, Mary Kay Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Sheryl Adkins-Green, Heather Capps of HCK2, Holly Mason of Mason Baronet, Jessica Nunez of True Point, Julia Taylor Cheek of Everly, Louise Kee of Golden Seeds, Cynthia Nevels of Integrality, Cristin Thomas of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Management Consulting’s Melissa Youngblood, LCC.
One of the highlights of the day followed, the Pink Tank business pitch session, with an all-star panel of judges: Sheryl Adkins-Green, The DEC Founder/CEO Trey Bowles, fashion designer/CEO Abi Ferrin, Mark Cuban Companies Director of Business Development Abe Minkara and City of Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne. Five women business owners vied for the chance to win $5,000 in startup money from the Dallas Entrepreneur Center, with Elyse Dickerson of Eosera taking home the prize.
The day concluded with a “Champs and Candy” celebratory reception with champagne, cotton candy-infused sparkling water, and sweet and savory popcorn by Make Your Life Sweeter.
* Photo provided by Mary Kay Inc.